Victoria, YMCA consider pool partnership

Kayla Muniz, 8, left, and Syklee Espinoza, 8, right, slide into the water as other children wait their turn to take a swim test at the Gary T. Moses Municipal Pool on June 13, 2013.

Victoria officials are treading water when it comes to keeping the 33-year-old Gary T. Moses Municipal Pool open.

After conducting a $50,000 study and months of deliberation among the parks commission, the Victoria City Council is considering whether to move forward on a $6 million concept from the parks commission or scrap the project and partner instead with a nonprofit, pool-centric organization.

Chris Seilkop, president and CEO of YMCA of the Golden Crescent, wants the city to commit $1 million to a pool partnership, which is part of a $4 million expansion of the YMCA.

"It would be a win-win for the community," Seilkop said.

Seilkop is keeping details of the expansion quiet until the campaign kicks off in early 2014. The pool's total cost is $1.5 million.

With admission at $3 and the potential for increased YMCA memberships, the pool would be financially self-sustaining, Seilkop said.

Residents would not need to be members of the YMCA to use the pool. Family membership range from $36 to $72 depending on household income.

The existing Gary T. Moses Municipal Pool is like a leak in the city's budget.

Parks and Recreation Director Colby VanGundy estimated that the pool cost $57,000 to run during this year's 45-day season. During that time, admission fees and rentals brought in about $15,000.

The kiddie pool has been closed for several seasons, the pool's filtration system is on the brink of failure, and the pool is leaking 3 to 5 inches of water daily. City officials do not want to spend money for repairs on a pool that needs to be replaced.

City Manager Charmelle Garrett said the city "is on borrowed time" with the current pool.

"We're amazed that it didn't fail this summer," she said. "It's becoming more and more difficult to keep that pool up and running."

The City Council has not agreed on how much to set aside for a new pool facility.

"We should provide the nicest pool we can afford to provide," Wickham said. "If we can come up with the money to fund a pool with a lot of bells and whistles, I'm all for it."

He would not comment whether he was in favor of the potential partnership.

"Ultimately, we're going to have to provide the pool we can afford to provide," Wickham said.

City Council members appear to be leaning toward the partnership.

Mayor Paul Polasek and several council members said they supported the proposal.

"We need to cross our fingers that the current pool doesn't break one more year, and you guys can get started," Polasek said during the Dec. 17 City Council meeting. "We'll have to formalize that agreement."